Designer Mik Serfontaine's last name originates with his Flemish ancestors in Belgium, from the town of Serfontaine that still bears their family crest. Yet he was born under the African sun in the City of Cape Town, South Africa. Mik left his hometown at the age of 18 and led a gypsy-like, globetrotting existence until the Los Angeles music scene captured his attention in the late 80's.

He furthered his musical studies at a local college and immersed himself in the culture. "What impacted me the most about the music scene was its flamboyancy and originality, its freedom of expression and its ability to affect so many generations." Mik's segue into the clothing business happened as a natural evolution due to his passion for vintage denim. "It was impossible to find a pair of bootcut jeans back then, so vintage was my only option".

Scouring the Flea Markets for denim gave Mik an intricate understanding and appreciation of the essentials that make up a great pair of jeans. This encouraged him to enroll at Design School and study pattern making as his next endeavor. "I needed to learn the rudiments and techniques. To break the rules, you need to know them first". After he left design school his need to explore new creative avenues led him to open his first boutique on Abbot Kinney Boulevard in Venice, California in 1995.

It was here that Mik learned the complete scope of the fashion industry by doing the buying, selling and eventually the manufacturing of his first clothing collection out of the back of his boutique. "It really was the genesis of what Serfontaine is today".

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